The BMJ

Women experience varied levels of pain during gynaecological procedures. More research is needed if we want to reduce the risk of severe pain and improve understanding among medical professionals, writes Stephanie O’Donohue. ➡️ Read her Opinion piece online now https://lnkd.in/ekdbRBWB [📷 Image description: woman at a doctor's appointment]

Grenfell, covid, obesity: excluding commercial interests from public policy making 📚 Read this week's Editor's Choice by Kamran Abbasi "From housing policy to food policy, touching on every determinant of health, the disregard for the malign impact of competing interests is global. It’s the elephant in the room of public policy making, justified by one dimensional economic arguments." ➡ Find out more: https://lnkd.in/epStmdhD

EXCLUSIVE: An investigation by The BMJ finds that more than half of the experts on the UK government’s nutrition advisory panel have links to the food industry. At least 11 of the 17 members of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) have conflicts of interest with the likes of Nestle, sugar manufacturer Tate and Lyle, and the world’s largest ice cream producer, Unilever, reports freelance journalist Sophie Borland. Find out more by reading the investigation, free to access on bmj.com: https://lnkd.in/egqVmJtf

Women in China are now healthier than ever, but as the economy grows and China's culture becomes more westernised, the country faces new challenges due to changing social norms and expectations, say experts in a special collection of articles published by The BMJ today. In nine articles spanning topics and conditions across women's life courses, experts from China analyse the current state of women's health; review achievements and remaining challenges in the contexts of women's empowerment and rights, labour force participation, and family and community dynamics; and make recommendations for promoting women's future health, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health. Read the collection online at https://lnkd.in/deW2tfqe Jocalyn Clark

We are recruiting a new chairperson for the BMJ Ethics Committee. The role begins in 2025, when the tenure of our current chairperson ends. The committee, which was set up in 2000, considers a range of ethical issues including research ethics, the ethics of medical publishing, and ethical issues arising from the work of The BMJ and our portfolio of journals. Practically, the ethics committee helps BMJ editors with difficult cases; reviews and develops editorial policies; and advises on the BMJ’s coverage of ethics. For further information on how the committee works, please visit our website. The chair serves a three year term, renewable for two further years. Applicants should have a background in medicine or ethics, and they must be able to demonstrate an interest in and aptitude for ethical issues arising from medical research and publication ethics; an interest in the processes of and best practice in ethical publishing; and skill as a chairperson.The committee includes members with ethical, legal, clinical, and research backgrounds – and it meets 3 times a year. Committee members may join meetings remotely. In person meetings take place at least once a year at the BMJ’s office in central London, although an option to join remotely is usually available. Each meeting lasts at least three hours. Committee members are not remunerated, but economy travel expenses will be paid when a meeting is held at the BMJ’s office. It would be helpful if the successful candidate could join one or both of the remaining meetings this year to ensure a smooth handover. These will take place in September and December. Applicants should email their CV together with a covering letter stating why they would like to chair the committee, and what they would bring to the role, to Professor Kamran Abbasi, editor in chief of BMJ. Please email applications to Helen Beynon, Research Integrity Manager (hbeynon@bmj.com). Closing date is Friday 20th September 2024. https://lnkd.in/enJsvbwn

As Brazil takes the presidency of the #G20 in 2024, it marks the return of the summit to Latin America for the first time in six years. Much has changed and the covid-19 pandemic in particular has exposed the vast inequities in global and domestic health. In Brazil, for example, current challenges include an overburdened healthcare system, pressure from private providers and insurers, and continued misinformation and mistrust against public health. In May, as Raquel Canuto wrote in The BMJ (https://lnkd.in/eBZmmiQD), unprecedented flooding in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul collapsed the region’s infrastructure and healthcare systems and highlighted the intrinsic relation between climate and health. At the same time, Brazil and other countries in Latin America are strengthening their presence in global health, as The BMJ’s regional advisory board recently highlighted by outlining key health priorities and challenges. (https://lnkd.in/eCuMKzdq) The G20 meetings, taking place over 2024, are a landmark opportunity not just for Brazil, but the whole region to show how health must be at the heart of building a just world and a sustainable planet. To advance these aims, The BMJ publishes a NEW series on Brazil to influence the #G20 agenda on health. At the same time we launch a NEW spotlight on Latin America of collected content showcasing the region’s health challenges and innovations, as well as  its political leadership, which holds immense promise for advancing health equity worldwide. (https://lnkd.in/evsUzWKf) An Analysis by Deisy Ventura, Jameson Martins, Adriana Salay, Pamella Liz Nunes Pereira Paulo Roberto Trivellato and Leandro Viegas lays out how Brazil’s #G20 presidency can be used to encourage countries to move away from a market driven approach and create true universal health provision. In a BMJ Opinion, Vitor Ido and colleagues highlight the opportunity for Brazil to reform the whole global health architecture to embed equity and public values. In a BMJ Opinion, Paulo Buss and colleagues from FIOCRUZ - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz argue that Brazil must use its #G20 leadership to transform global pacts for #health #climatecrisis #sustainable development.    Read and share The BMJ’s new Brazil series and new spotlight on Latin America’s global leadership in health - we welcome your feedback! Jocalyn Clark BMJ https://lnkd.in/evsUzWKf

We are excited to announce the publication of a new BMJ Collection in collaboration with Global Health 50/50, the Africa Population and Health Research Centre, and the International Center for Research on Women. This comprehensive collection of evidence and analysis explores gender equality in the health workforce with a focus on India and Kenya, and draws lessons for all geographies around the world. Through a multidisciplinary lens, it highlights the role of law in pushing for organisational change, the impact of gendered occupational segregation on career choices, and the importance of changing social norms to improve women’s advancement and equity in the health workforce. Explore the collection to understand the factors driving equality of opportunity for women’s health careers, and actionable recommendations for policymakers, researchers and advocates: https://lnkd.in/g7V4N3-q Jocalyn Clark, BMJ, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), African Population and Health Research Center

This week The BMJ will publish a patient led issue. Read this new piece about Peer support in chronic health conditions. Most people living with a long term condition spend only a small fraction of their time with healthcare professionals. Peer support offers a valuable way for people with chronic health conditions to learn to live with and manage the complexities of their condition day to day, giving them the confidence, knowledge, and support to do this. Find out more by reading the full article. Free to access online: https://lnkd.in/eyn_hMSg

Rates of coronary heart disease in the UK have declined by about 30% over the past two decades, but this has been offset by rising rates of other conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels, finds this study https://lnkd.in/gTBwknk7

🌞 Increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves are leading to greater incidence of heat illness and exacerbations of heat sensitive disease globally 🌞 People over 65, pregnant women, infants, young children, athletes, outdoor workers, those living in urban environments, patients with comorbidities, and those on certain medications are particularly at risk of heat related illness 🌞 The foundations of managing heat illnesses include recognising heat as a cause, removing patients from hot environments, and rapid cooling Read a recent #BMJEducation article to find out more about how to recognise and prevent heat related illness https://lnkd.in/e8T57w4Z